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Monday, November 16, 2015

Hulu cowardly rejects "controversial" ads for PP alternatives

Students for Life of America produced two commercials encouraging pregnant mothers to use federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) for their care instead of Planned Parenthood. One ad points out that 94% of pregnant women who go to Planned Parenthood wind up having an abortion, a fact that comes straight from PP's own annual reports. The other mentions Planned Parenthood's abortion quotas, which are verified both by the testimony of former PP workers and by contemporaneous documentation of awards to affiliates that exceeded the quota.

Neither commercial mentions the more recent scandals about Planned Parenthood selling fetal remains and altering the abortion procedure to avoid damage to desired fetal organs. That's because the ads were in production long before the Center for Medical Progress released any videos. Students for Life of America reports:

This June, Hulu told us they would run our commercials no problem. But last month, after viewing our final versions, they denied us. They said that Hulu won’t run a pro-life commercial. ... The only reason Hulu is now saying our commercials are too controversial is because Planned Parenthood was caught this July in a damning scandal, with high-level officials captured on video discussing the harvesting and sale of baby body parts.

Students for Life of America argues that these aren't "pro-life commercials" at all; they're PSAs for a government health center website. And it's true that nothing in the advertisements says that abortion is wrong. But (in large part due to our efforts!) Planned Parenthood has become synonymous with the abortion debate.

Hulu has run ads for Planned Parenthood before. But now, they want to avoid "controversy."

Sorry, Hulu, but it doesn't work that way. Yes, as a private company, you can censor as much as you like; you aren't breaking the law like pro-abortion public school administrators who bully pro-life student organizations. But you are cowards, and we are going to call you out on it. You just created a much bigger controversy for yourselves.

Students for Life of America has a petition you can sign. Until Hulu responds with an apology and airs the ads, I won't be watching Hulu. Let's hit 'em where it hurts: in the wallet.